Gift card overview
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Enable fast access to gift cards by using the Google Wallet API. The Google Wallet API
makes it straightforward for your customers to add gift cards to
Google Wallet on their phones, providing easy access at the right time.
Gift cards let users add and redeem their gift cards more efficiently.
Saving gift cards in Google Wallet also eliminates clutter and enables
faster access. To find the card, users need to open up the Google Wallet
app, swipe up, and tap the one they want to use.
With the Google Wallet API, you can issue passes for your users to save in their Google Wallet across multiple platforms, including Android apps, and anywhere hyperlinks are supported, such as websites, email, and SMS messages.
APIs & SDKs
The Google Wallet API offers a REST API and an Android SDK to help you issue and manage your passes quickly and easily.
- Google Wallet REST API
To issue passes on platforms such as the Web, email, or SMS, we recommend you use the Google Wallet REST API. The API provides a set of endpoints that let you create, retrieve, and update the various components of passes.
- Google Wallet Android SDK
To issue passes in an Android app, we recommend you use the Google Wallet Android SDK. The SDK provides a variety of convenience methods that make it easy to integrate the Google Wallet API into your mobile apps using native code.
Note: Using the Google Wallet REST API or Google Wallet Android SDK is not required to issue passes with the Google Wallet API, but are strongly recommended. For more information on issuing passes without using the REST API or Android SDK, see Creating Passes Objects and Passes Classes in the JWT.
Requirements
To issue passes with the Google Wallet API, you will first need to do the following:
Getting started with the Google Wallet API
Before you start working with the Google Wallet API, take a look at these useful articles that will familiarize you with the basic features and terminology.
- Key concepts and terminology: This article will familiarize you with all the important terms and features you will need to work with the Google Wallet API.
- Passes Classes and Objects overview: Passes that you issue to your users are created by combining a Passes Class with a Passes Objects. This article will familiarize you with both of these concepts, and how they are used to create passes.
- Google Wallet pass development flow: This article provides an end-to-end overview of all of the steps needed to create a pass with the Google Wallet API from start to finish.
- Codelabs
Self-guided codelabs walk you through the necessary steps to add a pass
to Google Wallet. To get started, choose "Android" if your implementation will be on Android devices
only and choose "Web" if your implementation supports Android, Web, Email or SMS.
Android
Web
- Pass builder
Build your first pass visually with the pass builder tool, and automatically generate the JSON you need to create the pass with the Google Wallet API.
- Google Wallet Github
Get helpful tools, libraries and sample code for a variety of programming languages in the Google Wallet Github org.
Except as otherwise noted, the content of this page is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License, and code samples are licensed under the Apache 2.0 License. For details, see the Google Developers Site Policies. Java is a registered trademark of Oracle and/or its affiliates.
Last updated 2025-08-28 UTC.
[null,null,["Last updated 2025-08-28 UTC."],[[["\u003cp\u003eThe Google Wallet API enables customers to easily save and access gift cards on their phones for faster redemption.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eGoogle Wallet supports issuing passes across multiple platforms, including websites, email, and Android apps.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eDevelopers can leverage the REST API or Android SDK for seamless integration and management of gift cards within their systems.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eTo begin issuing gift cards, developers need to create a Google Wallet API Issuer account and a Google Cloud account (for non-Android developers).\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eVarious resources like codelabs, pass builder, and the Google Wallet Github organization are available to assist developers during implementation.\u003c/p\u003e\n"]]],["The Google Wallet API enables users to add and access gift cards quickly via the Google Wallet app on various platforms like Android apps, websites, email, and SMS. Developers can use the REST API or Android SDK to manage and issue gift card passes. To get started, an Issuer account and a Google Cloud account are needed. Available resources include codelabs for Android and Web, a pass builder tool, and sample code on GitHub.\n"],null,["# Gift card overview\n\nEnable fast access to gift cards by using the Google Wallet API. The Google Wallet API\nmakes it straightforward for your customers to add gift cards to\nGoogle Wallet on their phones, providing easy access at the right time.\nGift cards let users add and redeem their gift cards more efficiently.\n\nSaving gift cards in Google Wallet also eliminates clutter and enables\nfaster access. To find the card, users need to open up the Google Wallet\napp, swipe up, and tap the one they want to use.\n\nSupported platforms\n-------------------\n\nWith the Google Wallet API, you can issue passes for your users to save in their Google Wallet across multiple platforms, including Android apps, and anywhere hyperlinks are supported, such as websites, email, and SMS messages.\n\n### APIs \\& SDKs\n\nThe Google Wallet API offers a REST API and an Android SDK to help you issue and manage your passes quickly and easily.\n\n- [Google Wallet REST API](/wallet/retail/gift-cards/web/prerequisites) \n\n To issue passes on platforms such as the Web, email, or SMS, we recommend you use the Google Wallet REST API. The API provides a set of endpoints that let you create, retrieve, and update the various components of passes.\n- [Google Wallet Android SDK](/wallet/retail/gift-cards/android/prerequisites) \n\n To issue passes in an Android app, we recommend you use the Google Wallet Android SDK. The SDK provides a variety of convenience methods that make it easy to integrate the Google Wallet API into your mobile apps using native code.\n\nNote: Using the Google Wallet REST API or Google Wallet Android SDK is not required to issue passes with the Google Wallet API, but are strongly recommended. For more information on issuing passes without using the REST API or Android SDK, see [Creating Passes Objects and Passes Classes in the JWT](https://developers.google.com/wallet/retail/offers/overview/add-to-google-wallet-flow#creating-passes-objects-and-passes-classes-in-the-jwt).\n\nRequirements\n------------\n\nTo issue passes with the Google Wallet API, you will first need to do the following:\n\n- Create a [Google Wallet API Issuer account](/wallet/retail/gift-cards/getting-started/issuer-onboarding).\n- Non-Android developers: Create a [Google Cloud account](https://console.cloud.google.com/freetrial).\n- Android developers: [Set up Google Play services.](/android/guides/setup)\n\nGetting started with the Google Wallet API\n------------------------------------------\n\nBefore you start working with the Google Wallet API, take a look at these useful articles that will familiarize you with the basic features and terminology.\n\n- [Key concepts and terminology](/wallet/retail/gift-cards/resources/terminology): This article will familiarize you with all the important terms and features you will need to work with the Google Wallet API.\n- [Passes Classes and Objects overview](/wallet/retail/gift-cards/overview/how-classes-objects-work): Passes that you issue to your users are created by combining a Passes Class with a Passes Objects. This article will familiarize you with both of these concepts, and how they are used to create passes.\n- [Google Wallet pass development flow](/wallet/retail/gift-cards/overview/add-to-google-wallet-flow): This article provides an end-to-end overview of all of the steps needed to create a pass with the Google Wallet API from start to finish.\n\n### Tools \\& resources\n\n- **Codelabs** \n\n\n Self-guided codelabs walk you through the necessary steps to add a pass\n to Google Wallet. To get started, choose \"Android\" if your implementation will be on Android devices\n only and choose \"Web\" if your implementation supports Android, Web, Email or SMS.\n\n\n [Android](https://g.co/wallet/android-codelab)\n [Web](https://g.co/wallet/web-codelab)\n- **Pass builder** \n\n Build your first pass visually with the [pass builder](/wallet/retail/gift-cards/resources/pass-builder) tool, and automatically generate the JSON you need to create the pass with the Google Wallet API.\n- **Google Wallet Github**\n\n Get helpful tools, libraries and sample code for a variety of programming languages in the [Google Wallet Github org](https://github.com/google-wallet)."]]
